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Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

(PID; Salpingitis)

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

Definition

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the female pelvic organs.

Female Reproductive System Organs

Causes

Bacteria causes this infection. The most common ones are gonorrhea and chlamydia.

Risk Factors

The infection is most common in women who are 15-29 years of age.

Other things that may raise your risk are:

Having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) now or in the past
Having sex with more than one person
Sex with a man who has an STI
Sex without a condom
Having an intrauterine device (IUD) placed in the last three weeks

Symptoms

Women do not always have signs. If you have signs, they may be:

Pain in the lower belly
Fever
Bleeding or leaking with a foul odor
Painful during sex
Pain when voiding
Back pain
Upset belly or throwing up

Diagnosis

There is no test. The doctor will ask about your health. You will have a physical and pelvic exam.

You may have:

Tests for STIs
Urine tests to check if you are pregnant or have an infection
Blood tests to check for infection
Laparoscopy —a tube placed through a small cut to view inside your belly

Pictures may be taken with:

Treatment

The doctor will give you one or more antibiotics. Any male sex partners should also get treated. Do not have sex until you are both treated.

You may need to be in the hospital if you do not get better. A surgeon may need to remove tissue.

Prevention

Follow these steps:

Use a condom when you have sex.
Talk to your doctor about birth control choices. Ask which methods may lower your risk.
Limit the number of people you have sex with.
Get tested for STIs.

RESOURCES:

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
http://www.niaid.nih.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
http://www.sogc.org

Women's Health Matters
http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca

References:

2015 STD treatment guidelines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/. Updated January 25, 2017. Accessed July 25, 2018.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)—CDC fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Updated July 10, 2017. Accessed July 25, 2018.

Pelvic inflammatory disease. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed... . Updated July 1, 2018. Accessed July 25, 2018.

Last reviewed May 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Kathleen A. Barry, MD
Last Updated: 7/25/2018

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